RAF spy plane still grounded in Senegal

An Raytheon Sentinel, of the type grounded in Senegal due to a technical fault. Credit: MoD/Crown Copyright

A state-of-the-art surveillance plane sent by the UK to help in the search for over 200 kidnapped schoolgirls in Nigeria is still grounded over 1,300 miles from its destination as the RAF tries to fix it.

No estimates are being given by the Ministry of Defence for how long it may be stuck at Dhakar airport but a spokesman said it remained hopeful it would be ready to join the international rescue effort "sooner rather than later".